The three-dimensional structure of an inorganic crystal, $SmZn_{0.67}Sb_2$ (space group $P4/nmm,\;a=4.30(3){\AA}\;and\;c= 10.27(1){\AA}$), was refined by electron crystallography utilizing high voltage electron microscopy (HVEM). Effects of instrumental resolution, image quality, beam damage and specimen tilting on the structure refinement have been evaluated. The instrumental resolution and image quality were the most important factors on the final results in the structure refinement, while the beam damage and specimen tilting effects could be experimentally minimized or controlled. The average phase errors $({\Phi}_{res})$ for the [001], [100] and [110] HVEM images of $SmZn_{0.67}Sb_2$ were $10.1^{\circ},\;9.6^{\circ}\;and\;6.8^{\circ}$, respectively. The atomic coordinates of $SmZn_{0.67}Sb_2$ were consistent within $0.0013{\AA}{\sim}0.0088{\AA}$, compared to the X-ray crystallography data for the same sample.

An interface and a grain boundary in the solid state can be quite unstable and vibrate violently under special circumstances. Two examples of such a vibration, as observed by in-situ transmission electron microscopy, were presented.

The alumina-aluminum solid-liquid interfaces were directly observed at atomic scale by heating the alumina single crystal in high-voltage electron microscope (HVEM) owing to the electron beam damage processes, Atomic ordering in the first several layers of the liquid was clearly resolved adjacent to the alumina surface and its relevance to the single crystal growth was examined with the real-time observations.

Nanofabrication with finely focused ion and electron beams is reviewed, and position and size controlled fabrication of nano-metals and -semiconductors is demonstrated. A focused ion beam (FIB) interface attached to a column of 200keV transmission electron microscope (TEM) was developed. Parallel lines and dots arrays were patterned on GaAs, Si and $SiO_2$ substrates with a 25keV $Ga^+-FIB$ of 200nm beam diameter at room temperature. FIB nanofabrication to semiconductor specimens caused amorphization and Ga injection. For the electron beam induced chemical vapor deposition (EBI-CVD), we have discovered that nano-metal dots are formed depending upon the beam diameter and the exposure time when decomposable gases such as $W(CO)_6$ were introduced at the beam irradiated areas. The diameter of the dots was reduced to less than 2.0nm with the UHV-FE-TEM, while those were limited to about 15nm in diameter with the FE-SEM. Self-standing 3D nanostructures were also successfully fabricated.

Self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) were grown by the atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) techniques, The structure and the thermal stability of QDs have been studied by high resolution electron microscopy with in-situ heating experiment capability, The ALE and MBE QDs were found to form a hemispherical structure with side facets in the early stage of growth, Upon capping by GaAs layer, however, the apex of QDs changed to a flat one. The ALE QDs have larger size and more regular shape than those of MBE QDs. The QDs collapse due to elevated temperature was observed directly in atomic scale, In situ heating experiment within TEM revealed that the uncapped QDs remained stable up to $580^{\circ}C$, However, at temperature above $600^{\circ}C$, the QDs collapsed due to the diffusion and evaporation of In and As from the QDs, The density of the QDs decreased abruptly by this collapse and most of them disappeared at above $600^{\circ}C$.

Interfacial atomic structure (chemical structure) of a Pd/ZnO hetero junction was investigated by atomic resolution high voltage transmission electron microscopy (ARHVTEM). A misfit dislocation did not work as a stress accommodation mechanism in the ZnO(0001)/Pd (111) interface. But the periodic stress localization occurred in the ZnO($10\bar{1}0$)/(200) interface. The periodicity of the local strain coincided with that of misfit dislocation. Atomic structure image of the ARHVTEM showed that an atomic arrangement across the interface was in the order of O-Zn-Pd. It was shown that mechanical weakness of the ZnO(0001)/Pd(111) interface against cyclic heating is attributable to the absence of the periodic stress localization of the misfit dislocation.

Improvements are made to existing primitive cell volume measurement method to provide a real-time analysis capability for the phase analysis of nanocrystalline materials. Simplification is introduced in the primitive cell volume calculation leading to fast and reliable method for nano-phase identification and is applied to the phase analysis of Mo-Si-N nanocoating layer. In addition, comparison is made between real-time and film measurements for their accuracy of calculated primitive cell volume values and factors governing the accuracy of the method are determined. About 5% accuracy in primitive cell determination is obtained from camera length calibration and this technique is used to investigate the cell volume variation in WC-TiC core-shell microstructure. In addition to chemical compositional variation in core-shell type structure, primitive cell volume variation reveals additional information on lattice coherency strain across the interface.

High-resolution microscopy was applied for surveying hydride stability in Vanadium alloys, which are candidate for hydrogen storage materials of advanced hydrogen energy systems. $V_2H$ hydride in V alloys was stable at room temperature under the vacuum condition, but it was decomposed during heating up to $100^{\circ}C$. It was confirmed from HRTEM image and FFT that $V_2H$ has a BCT structure, where hydrogen atoms locate at octahedral sites. Crystal orientation was <110> beta// <110> mat., and lattice strain is about 10%. After the decomposition of the hydride, relatively large lattice expansion was observed in the matrix, which suggests that hydrogen atoms should be trapped by lattice defects and included in the matrix. Intensive electron beam also enhanced the decomposition.

By utilizing a field emission gun and a biprism installed on a transmission electron microscope (TEM), electron holography is extensively carried out to visualize the electric and magnetic fields of nanomaterials. In the electric field analysis, the distribution of electric potential in a sharp tip made of W coated with $ZrO_2$ is visualized by applying the voltage to the tip. Denser contour lines due to the electric potential are observed with an increase in the bias voltage. In the magnetic field analysis by producing the strong magnetic field with a sharp magnetic needle made of a permanent magnet, the in situ experiment is carried out to investigate the magnetization of hard magnetic materials. The results of these experiments clearly demonstrate that electron holography is a promising advanced transmission electron microscopy technique to characterize the electric and magnetic properties of nanomaterials.